Air & Space honoring daredevils, pioneers

Honoring high flyers

Daredevils, innovators and pioneers dominate this year's Hall of Fame selection at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The Distinguished Class of 2013 will be formally honored in November. Here are the inductees.

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1

Death defying leap

Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner made the highest leap in history on Oct. 14, 2012 when he jumped from a balloon that was traveling about 24 miles above Earth. He safely landed in a New Mexico desert about nine minutes later.

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2

Wingman

Felix Baumgartner's historic leap was choreographed by Red Bull Stratos technical director Art Thompson, who had guided the skydiver to a point almost 24 miles above Earth. Baumgartner went aloft in a capsule co-developed by Thompson, a California native who also helped with the development of the B-2 "Stealth" bomber.

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3

To the moon and back

Apollo 16 astronauts (left to right) Tom Mattingly II, John Young and Charles Duke, Jr. had a highly successful flight, returning 211 pounds of lunar material to Earth in April 1972. Duke and Young also spent almost three days on the lunar surface, where they explored the highlands in a rover, an adventure broadcast on Earth.

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4

Life savers

On Jan. 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 lost power when it hit Canada geese while departing from New York's LaGuardia Airport. Capt. Chesley Sullenberger made a successful landing in the Hudson River, saving all 155 people aboard -- an achievement made with his crew. (Left to right) Sullenberger, flight attendants Doreen Welsh, Donna Dent and Sheila Dail, and Co-Pilot Jeff Skiles.

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5

Sixties daredevil

In August 1960, Air Force Capt. Joe Kittinger made the highest parachute jump to date, stepping from a balloon as it was traveling about 20 miles above New Mexico. Kittinger, now a retired colonel, safely landed in the desert just under 14 minutes later. His record was broken last year by Felix Baumgartner.

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6

NASA's Mission Control

NASA thrived in the 1960s because of the skill of its Mission Control executives, including (left to right) Gerry Griffin, Gene Kranz and Glynn Lunney.

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7

The Flight Director

Chris Kraft guided the growth of NASA, serving as its first flight director and overseeing such achievements as the first American human spaceflight and its first spacewalk.

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8

Call him 'Ace'

Dean "Diz" Laird is the only known US Navy fighter pilot to shoot down both German and Japanese aircraft during World War II. He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

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9

Shutterbug

Paul Bowen is widely regarded as one of the world's best aerial photographers. His work has appeared on more than 1,000 magazine covers.

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10

A Triple Ace

Bud Anderson is a World War II Triple Ace who flew the P-51 Mustang Old Crow while assigned to the 357th Fighter Group Yoxford Boys, 8th Air Force Group.

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11

Airline pioneer

Former American Airlines Chairman and CEO Robert Crandall is credited with shaping air travel by introducing modern computer reservation systems and deep discounts for advance-purchase tickets.